The Encounter Church ministry has come to a close. Read more here.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

"Grow Your Faith" Through A Home LifeGroup

To truly connect and grow at Encounter, you must be a part of a home LifeGroup.

An Encounter LifeGroup is a small group of six to eight people who gather regularly for spiritual growth and study, life encouragement, and support through the challenging times.

It's a safe place to ask tough questions and build lasting friendships in an environment with others just like you.


Join Us For the Next LifeGroup

Home LifeGroups meet every 1st and 3rd Sunday @ 5:30pm, with some exceptions. We'd love to have you come out, even if you are just checking it out. There will be video and board games for the kids — so kids are welcome, but child care only available if arranged beforehand.

WHAT: Encounter LifeGroups
WHEN: 1st and 3rd Sundays @ 5:30pm

WHERE: See Upcoming Dates Below

— Sunday, Feb 20 @ 5:30pm | Location TBA | RSVP on Facebook
— Sunday, Mar 6 @ 5:30pm | Location TBA | RSVP on Facebook

Five Things God Uses To Grow Your Faith

We are currently going through the video and discussion series from Andy Stanley called "Five Things God Uses To Grow Your Faith." Better understand how to effectively Encounter God, Experience Community, and Engage Culture.

"Imagine how different your outlook on life would be if you had absolute confidence that God was with you. Imagine how differently you would respond to difficulties, temptations, and even good things if you knew with certainty that God was in all of it and was planning to leverage it for good. In other words, imagine what it would be like to have a faith that trusts in God."

To join or host a LifeGroup, click here and let us know. Check for the latest LifeGroup articles or the calendar for the next LifeGroup gathering.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Encounter Happenings in December

The holiday season is already upon us. With Thanksgiving less about a week away, Encounter will usher in the Christmas season with several relationship-building activities and events.

Christmas Decorating Downtown
Sunday, November 7 @ 11am
We received a call a few weeks ago from Downtown Helena asking us to help Decorate Downtown streets. Perhaps you were are part of the 22 Encounter folks who came out to hang wreaths on Last Chance Gulch.



Beyond Thankful Worship Gathering
Sunday, November 28 @ 5:30pm
On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we'll meet for our next Worship Gathering as we explore what it means to go "Beyond Thankful" in Luke 17. There will be live acoustic worship with communion. Meeting at the Dunphy Building.

Listen to the podcast here!



December Home LifeGroup
Sunday, December 5 @ 5:30pm
As we go into December, we'll gather at Home LifeGroups to explore the "Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith" on Sunday, December 5. This meeting at the Stokes Home.



Encounter Christmas Party
Sunday, December 12 @ 5:30pm
The Encounter Christmas Party is a fun opportunity to enjoy the season with new and old friends including a white elephant gift exchange, Christmas music, hot chocolate, and holiday board & card games. Bring a friend, a wrapped $2 white elephant gift. And if you want, bring your favorite board or card game and Christmas CD. Age-appropriate games will be available for kids, but there will be no childcare. We're meeting at the Powell Home.



Christmas Eve Service @ Encounter
Friday, December 24 @ 5:30pm
Finally, you are invited to join us for a reflective Christmas Eve service with Christmas carols and a reading of the traditional Christmas story in a candlelight atmosphere. Come celebrate the birth of Christ at our Christmas Eve Encounter on December 24. Meeting at the Dunphy Building.

Serving Helena at the Fall Art Walk - Afterburn

What an amazing way to serve the Helena community last Friday!

The Encounter crew set up just outside of the Capital FRET music store on Last Chance Gulch in the heart of downtown.

Serving FREE gourmet hot chocolate as people walked the downtown area for the 2010 Fall Art Walk, we saw and talked to so many people.

It was packed downtown this year and we served nearly 250 cups of hot chocolate using 12 pounds of chocolate mix!

This is just another way to demonstrate that Encounter is not just a church IN Helena, but we are a church FOR Helena. Here are some photos and a small video clip from the evening.



View the Picasa slideshow here
View the photos on Facebook here


View the video above or on YouTube here.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Serving Helena at the Fall Art Walk - Nov 12 @ 5:30pm

Join us as we connect with and serve those coming out for the Fall Art Walk in Downtown Helena.

This year we plan on serving FREE hot chocolate (and maybe cider) along the route of the Fall Art Walk.

We'll meet and setup just outside the capitalFRET music store at 335 Last Chance Gulch. It's just another way to be a burning bush in our community.

WHAT: Serving Helena at the Fall Art Walk
WHEN: Friday, November 12 @ 5:30pm-7pm
WHERE: 335 Last Chance Gulch (capitalFRET on Last Chance Gulch)


Christmas Decorating in Downtown Helena - Afterburn

This last Sunday, we partnered with local businesses and Downtown Helena to usher in the Christmas season a little early.

We called it Christmas Decorating & Coffee Downtown.

Encounter's group of nearly 22 people came out to help put up Christmas wreaths and decorate street lamps in Downtown Helena. What an awesome turn out!

We had about three groups climbing ladders, fluffing the wreathes (there were some expert "fluffers" there), and snipping cable ties along Last Chance Gulch! After it was all done, we took a little time to share some coffee and fun conversation at Starbucks.

Why do we do it? For us, it's just another way to be a burning bush for our community — to be a church not just IN Helena, but FOR Helena. It's our way to make an impact in our community by giving ourselves away.


View the Picasa slideshow here
View the photos on Facebook here
 

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